I think I said in my review of season four that I was wondering whether we might have gotten all we're going to get out of the premise of the show and it turns out that the creative team are thinking something similar, as this run is the final full season of "Ghosts " which will conclude with a Christmas special later this year.
With the gatehouse burned down, Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) and Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) are struggling to get their finances in order and really need the insurance money to come through. Things only become tighter when they realise that Alison is pregnant. They decide to sell part of the land that comes with the house, but the interested party would need some of their neighbour's (Geoff McGiven) land too. The Ghosts finally get to the bottom of how both Kitty (Lolly Adefope) and The Captain (Ben Willbond) died, the struggles of Humphrey's (Laurence Rickard) marriage and Alison learns a truth about her abilities.
"Ghosts" remains the genial and amusing show it's been since the beginning. The second season added a level of pathos that the show hasn't managed to get to quite the same level again and this season doesn't either. We're definitely in 'ending mode' in this run. The shows mysteries are starting to be resolved and it looks for a while like Mike and Alison might make some hard decisions that would facilitate the end of the show. The pregnancy angle is the key through running story of the season though.
As ever, "Ghosts" biggest strength is probably the thing that also stops it achieving true greatness. It's likeable and entertaining, but never quite funny enough to match up with true top tier sitcoms. But not everything has to be the best ever and sometimes good enough is good enough.